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Emma Sunday, Port Harcourt
Over 1000 primary school pupils in Rumuolumeni community in Obio-Akpor local government Council and Opobo Town in Opobo/Nkoro LGA of Rivers State have benefited from a Free Educational Rhapsody organized by Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder.
The free educational rhapsody was held on Friday, at four different primary schools in the two local government areas where officers and personnel of the NNS Pathfinder distributed thousands of exercise books, text books, novels, mathematical sets, pen, rulers, erasers, and other educational materials as well as footballs to pupils of the schools in the state.
Our correspondent reports that schools visited by the Naval team were Nigerian Navy Primary School, Pathfinder, Rumuolumeni in Obio-Akpor LGA, Opobo Primary School, St. Paul’s Primary Schools 1 & 2 and Abaziebie Model Primary School, all in Opobo town, in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Council, Rivers State.
Speaking, the Commander of NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Cajethan Nnabuchi Aniaku said the programme was part of the Base’s corporate social responsibility to it’s host communities.
Commodore Aniaku, represented by the the Executive Officer of the NNS Pathfinder, Captain Bassey Asuquo Bassey, said the education outreach aligns with the vision, mission, and strategic directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Admiralty Medal, adding that the Nigerian Navy is a strategic stakeholder in the educational development of the country.
He described education as the bedrock of progress and development in any society and advised the pupils to be very serious with their studies.
Aniaku used the medium to urge the pupils and youths in the NNS Pathfinder’s area of responsibility not to indulge in any form of crime and other related activities.
He said, “The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, under the auspicious of Operation Delta Sanity 4, which was just relaunched yesterday (10th October, 2024), has two approaches to achieving it’s mandate which is to stamp out oil theft, illegal bunkering, see piracy and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta region, so as to increase oil production in the country.
“The two approaches are kinetic and non-kinetic approach. Today, we are here to conduct non-kinetic approach which is to reach out to our host communities, so as to reach the hearts and minds of the people, to encourage them and to synergise with them towards achieving our mandate of Operation Delta Sanity 4.
“We have come here today to distribute educational materials as part of the our free educational rhapsody and outreach, to encourage the pupils in their educational pursuit.
“As we know, if there is no education, there will be no development in any community. That is why the Nigerian Navy under Operation Delta Sanity 4, have decided to give out this free educational materials which includes; notebooks, textbooks, novels and even sporting items like football among others, because we know that it is not only in the classroom that pupils will learn. They also require extra curricular activities.
“We believe that by so doing, the children will be encouraged, and form a good ideology in their young minds. Like the sayings goes, catch them young, so, when they grow, they will become good leaders ,, good citizens of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.
“However, my advice to the pupils is, the youths are not also left out, as they continue to grow they should shy away from all forms of criminality. They should learn good examples and not to follow bad companies, “he said.
Welcoming the NNS Pathfinder delegation to the ancient Opobo Kingdom, when the team paid a courtesy visit on him at his palace earlier, the Amayanabo and Natural Ruler of Opobo Kingdom, His Majesty, King Dr. Dandeson Jaja commended the Nigerian Navy for supporting education at the grassroot in the area and Rivers State in general through the NNS Pathfinder.
King Jaja who who was represented by the Vice Chairman of Opobo Council of Chiefs, Alabo Edwin Cockeye Brown, also thanked the NNS Pathfinder for other previous and commendable projects and activities in the area by the navy and promised their continued support for the NNS Pathfinder.
On his part, Senibo Sunny Jaja, Head Teacher of Opobo Primary School, Opobo town commended the Navy for the donations and promised to ensure even distribution of the materials to the pupils, and to also make judicious use of the items.
He said the gesture by the Navy will motivate the pupils to be more serious with their education.
